William and Mary Fencing Fundraiser

The William and Mary Fencing Club has had a long and storied tradition spanning almost a century. Established in 1924, the William and Mary Fencing Club is one of the oldest student institutions on campus and a competitive member of several fencing conferences across the United States.

One of these competitions is the Virginia Cup, a yearly tournament hosted by the state's collegiate fencing clubs.  William and Mary has frequently won the Cup, including a ten year streak from 2001 to 2011. We haven't brought the Cup home since then, but with your help we intend to change that.

Your contribution would help us pay for lessons for our fencers with local clubs and coaches. They would learn technical skills and more sophisticated tactics, making them more competitive. The club has not had a coach for a number of years, which makes it difficult for our fencers to reach their full potential.  When Pete Conomikes, a fantastic coach and internationally acclaimed fencer, worked with the team, William and Mary fencing reached a competitive height not seen since Pete's death.  

We've started outside lessons on a small scale, and already we're seeing substantial benefits. With your help, we can ensure the entire club has the training needed to compete on the same level as the many schools with varsity programs we regularly meet in competitions.

Additionally, much of our electronic scoring equipment is old and needs to be replaced with equipment that consistently works. This lets us run more efficient practices, and allows us to make the most out of our practice time and ensure our fencers have as much experience as possible. 

Thank you for taking the time to read this. A donation of any amount would go a long way toward helping William and Mary fencing become a stronger and more successful club than it has ever been, and bring the Virginia Cup back where it belongs.